Cooking in College!

2 pounds small red new potatoes, rinsed, dried and halved
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/4 teaspoons herbes de Provence (mixed dried French herbs) or dried thyme leaves
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup pitted and coarsely chopped Kalamata olives
1/2 small red onion, cut into thin slivers
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 1/2 tablespoons malt vinegar or rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon mayonnaise
1 small garlic clove, minced
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1. Toss potatoes in oil with herbs, a generous sprinkling of salt and a few grinds of pepper.
2. Place potatoes, cut side down, in a single layer on a lipped cookie sheet.
3. Set pan on lowest rack of cold oven; heat oven to 450 degrees.
4. Roast until cut side is golden brown and potatoes are tender, 20 to 25 minutes.
5. Transfer potatoes to a large bowl; add olives, onion and parsley.
6. Whisk vinegar, mayonnaise, garlic, a big pinch of salt and a couple of grinds of pepper in 1-cup glass measuring cup.
7. Slowly whisk in oil, first in droplets, then in a slow, steady stream.
8. Pour dressing over warm salad; toss to coat. Serve at room temperature for best flavor.

2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon sesame oil (optional)
1/4 cup vegetable oil
3 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 (8 ounce) package dried rice noodles
1 head iceberg lettuce - rinsed, dried, and chopped
4 boneless chicken breast halves, cooked and shredded
3 green onions, chopped
1 tablespoon sesame seeds, toasted

1. Prepare the dressing 30 minutes ahead of time by combining the brown sugar, soy sauce, sesame oil, salad oil, and rice vinegar in a salad dressing carafe.
2. To prepare the Chinese rice noodles, heat a skillet with a few tablespoons of oil and break off a little bit of the noodles and add them to the skillet and fry them. They will puff up in the skillet, so only add a few at a time.
3. As they begin to puff up, remove and drain them on paper towels. Be sure to cook long enough as the under cooked noodles will be like eating needles.
4. Once cooked, add them to the salad mixture.
5. In a large bowl combine the iceberg lettuce, cooked and shredded chicken, green onions and toasted sesame seeds.
6. Let chill about 10 minutes, and just before serving add the cooked rice noodles.
7. Serve in salad bowls and offer the dressing in a pourable container so your family can add as much dressing as they want. You can also pour the dressing over the top of the salad, toss, and serve immediately.

2 tablespoons sesame seeds
1 tablespoon poppy seeds
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup distilled white vinegar
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon minced onion
10 ounces fresh spinach - rinsed, dried and torn into bite-size pieces
1 quart strawberries - cleaned, hulled and sliced
1/4 cup almonds, blanched and slivered

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the sesame seeds, poppy seeds, sugar, olive oil, vinegar, paprika, Worcestershire sauce and onion. Cover, and chill for one hour.
2. In a large bowl, combine the spinach, strawberries and almonds. Pour dressing over salad, and toss. Refrigerate 10 to 15 minutes before serving.